


Quinn and Jasper’s Guide to Watching Reality TV

by gums_guns_glocks



Series: Lucids [3]
Category: LUCIDS - Fandom
Genre: AU, Crack Treated Seriously, Fluff, Jasper Cult, Jasper Jasperson is a National Treasure, Other, Popcorn, Reality TV, no beta we die like men, the discord made me do it, unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 12:21:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,264
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29384793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gums_guns_glocks/pseuds/gums_guns_glocks
Summary: They watch reality tv. That's it that's the fic.
Relationships: Jasper Jasperson & Quinn Hills
Series: Lucids [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2157009
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Quinn and Jasper’s Guide to Watching Reality TV

“Wait wait-why doesn’t she just pick him? He has a car! I’d date him-give him to me if she doesn’t want him! Car insurance is expensive! Come on!” 

Jasper turns to look at Quinn, the ambient sounds of the tv still playing on. This was not what he expected to happen when he’d asked Quinn to join him for his viewing of the new episode of Generic Romance Reality Competition™. What had started off with quite a few eye-rolls and “The things I do for you”s from Quinn had suddenly become a weekly screaming match between the tv and one very passionate ex-cult leader. Quinn had an opinion on everyone, and no one ever met his standards. He’d almost moved out when Jasper admitted he thought the girl made the right choice getting rid of the man with the mohawk. Two days of silent treatment. 

“Yeah but Tyler is philosophical and intelligent…” Jasper trails off, examining the tv. The current attractive mid-20s male candidate is giving a heartfelt story about his dead fish and...a tennis scholarship? The more sob stories the show brought up the harder it was to keep track. It wasn’t that Jasper wasn’t invested in the characters, but next to Quinn he must look downright bored. Something about these cheesy shows flipped a switch in Quinn’s brain and turned him into a monster. Jasper is still finding popcorn kernels in the carpet from the last elimination episode and he’s not excited for the mess this one’s inevitably going to bring.

“Who cares? This dude has got bank!” Quinn turns to throw a grin over his shoulder to Jasper, and Jasper smiles back. 

“Yeah i guess so..” Jasper replies slowly and Quinn beams at him. 

“See?! You get it, you always get it Jasper.” A warm feeling grows in Jasper’s chest as Quinn returns to ranting at the tv, critiquing the current contestant who’s brought up his training as a lifeguard. The droning of the tv mixes with Quinn’s impassioned speech, filling the whole house with life. It’s nice, Jasper thinks. Seeing Quinn get excited about things. It takes away some of the sadness from his eyes. 

~~~

“I still like Tyler. I hope he wins” Jasper admits later on into their binge. At Quinn’s incredulous expression, he shrugs. “He’s good at delivering a monologue.”

“You taking inspiration for the next time someone tries to kidnap you and steal your identity and you need to warm their cold dead heart?” Quinn jokes lightly. Jasper’s shoulders lift and fall once again. 

“It worked on you.” Somewhere off-screen an interviewer asks the main girl a question. “Plus, don’t act like you didn’t give a speech or two yourself.” 

“That was different! My speeches are important, personal, unique!” Quinn is laughing at himself, head shaking. “God Jasper, this guy has nothing on our speeches!”

“Oh come on, at least he’s trying!” Jasper counters, smiling. There’s a scene change back to Tyler’s confessional and Quinn boos loudly, throwing a chunk of popcorn at the screen.

~~~

“Okay see that one? That’s Beatrice, I like her because she owns two huge dogs and brings them onto the show-”

“I thought you said you didn’t watch this episode yet?” 

“I didn’t!” Silence from Quinn. Over-exaggerated betrayal and hurt grapple with constrained amusement. “I swear Quinn I would never!” 

“I trusted you Jasper!” Quinn sighs dramatically and falls back into his chair, grabbing his heart. Jasper throws a wad of popcorn at him. 

~~~

“Let’s go! I told you-I told you but you didn’t believe me did you!? I told you he was a bad guy! Woohoo point for Jasper let’s go!” He’s jumping out his chair and dancing around the room, oblivious to Quinn’s small, pressed lip smile. Pumping his fist he spins around to point at Quinn who rolls his eyes and grumbles,

“Whatever, you clearly cheated” 

“Cheated?” Jasper gasps, throwing himself onto the couch next to Quinn instead of his own armchair. “How do you cheat at watching reality tv?” Quinn shoves Jasper’s legs away from his own as he responds.

“You watched ahead clearly!”

“I did not! Slander! Slander on the Jasperson name!”

~~~

“How do you think I’d do on a dating show?”

“Terrible. You’d clam right up.” Jasper frowns in thought. 

“Yeah you’re right.” He shoves Quinn’s shoulder to make more room for his own head. “I’d need you there to make me comfortable.”

“Nah you don’t need me. You’re already my best guy, you’re just shy.” Under the glow of the tv Quinn’s eyes dance with mirth. “Anybody would be lucky to hear what goes on in your head.”

~~~

“Reality tv is the epitome of terrible television. It’s all fake drama and emotionless story beats. Anyone who needs to prove themselves to a camera is pathetic.” 

“You do know you don’t have to watch it with me?”

“Shut up Jasper, it's Tyler’s turn to make a fool of himself.”

“Heh. Yeah okay.”

~~~

“And the person who is being voted off is-” Both Jasper and Quinn lean forward. The music swells dramatically.

“Tyler!” 

Jasper tosses his head back and sighs in defeat. It had been pretty obvious the guy would be voted off, what with the terrible pacing of the show and long shots on Tyler’s face. Still, Jasper felt kinda bad for the kid. He’d seemed sincere enough. Some of his poetry had even seemed good.

“Aw man, I was rooting for him.” He mumbles as the end credits for the episode roll. Grabbing the remote he mutes the tv and runs a hand across his face. Sits up and stretches. Stands up to bring their empty bowls to the sink. The clock on the wall ticks through the silence, alerting Jasper of the late hour. “Oh that went on for a while! I’m gonna head to bed-you coming Quinn? Quinn?”

There’s no reply from the figure on the couch.

“You okay Quinn?” There’s a muffled noise coming from Quinn and as Jasper returns to the couch it grows louder. Is Quinn...crying? “Hey-” Jasper reaches a hand out to touch Quinn.

“I’m fine!” Quinn hisses, rubbing harshly at his eyes. “I just have something in my eye.” 

“Right. Sorry.” Jasper shifts from foot to foot. “You know it’s just a tv show-”

“I know!” 

“Tyler’s fine-”

“I know Jasper!” Quinn finally looks up at him. Red circles have formed in his eyes and they still glisten with unshed tears. Sniffling Quinn shoves his arm back over his eyes, using the jean fabric to continue rubbing. “God reality tv is so stupid, I don’t understand how you can watch this crap.” 

“Yeah..” Jasper rubs the back of his neck awkwardly. “I thought you didn’t like Tyler-”

“And stupid Tyler!” Quinn interrupts. “His poetry was terrible, how did he even make it this far? He was a shoe in for elimination from day one! He had nothing going for him! He was just some-some kid from the middle of nowhere who had too much of an ego and immature humour! But he just didn’t want to be forgotten, you know? And now he will, because he wasn’t good enough to win and not bad enough to keep around anyway. He was just Tyler.” Quinn goes quiet. The constant ticking on the clock is audible once again. 

“Uh-do you want some water?” Quinn blinks once, then nods. Jasper nods back and heads to the kitchen. 

They sit in silence when Jasper comes back.

Quinn stops crying eventually. They clean up the popcorn. Say goodnight. Go to bed. 

The next morning they pick a different reality show.

**Author's Note:**

> Quinn kins list grows. Jasquinn rights. Someone teach me how to write.


End file.
